Improvement in wagon end-gates



UNITED STATES THEODORE L. BLOCK,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF SIDNEY, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON END-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l86.226, dated January 16, 1877; application filed October 14, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knowmthat I, THEODORE L. BLooK, of Sidney, in the county of Ghampaign and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Wagon End-Gate, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents an end elevation of a wagon with my improved end-gate. Fig. 2 isa top view of the same, partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the wagonbody, with end-gate detached to show side I), attached to and projecting at the outer sides I of the gate-sections. The curved hooks b enter into holes b of the side-boards, said holes being strengthened at the outside at the points where the hooks bear on the side-boards, by metallic stiffening-bands d, with central indented parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These hooks effectually prevent the gate from being thrown up and down by the jolts and jars incident to a rough road or fast traveling. The gate-sections are rigidly locked, when placed in position in the guide-strips and holes, by a lever or cross-bar, O, that is pivoted at one end to one of the sections, and guided by a staple or band, 0, along the same. The 0pposite end of the cross-bar G is introduced through a recess, a, of the outer guide-strip a. to a recess, a below the same, and then carried downward along the rear recess a, until seated on the shoulder at the end of the same. The cross-bar retains thereby the endgate rigidly in position until, by lifting and withdrawing the cross-bar, the gate-sections fold in the center, and are, on detaching the side hooks, readily taken off by means of the cross-bar for dumping or removing the load. The pressure of the load on the inside of the end-gate assists the taking ofl' of the same, as it facilitates the swinging of the gate-sections on their hinge-connection. The end-gate may thus be easily locked to the wagon-body and detached with great convenience, without requiring separate cross-rods or other detachable fastening devices.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- I 1. A middle-hinged end-gate, B B, provided with the curved rigid hooks b b, that pass through holes in the sides of body, as shown and described, to prevent any upward jolting or rising of gate.

2. The combination, with a middle-hinged end-gate, of the bar 0, pivoted at the rear on one section, B, passingiover the other, and locking in guide-strip a by means of the re cesses a a as shown and described.

THEODORE L. BLOCK.

Witnesses ADDISON W. BooN, GEORGE OoLE. 

